Wednesday August 15th [Updated]

Update: New article regarding the need for open and transparent platforms for non profits who are distributing funds. Click here for full story

A Mississippi cottage arrives and has landed on Herlihy St. Above is the cottage and the proud new owner. Here is one of those "stories". Her home is actually a family home owned by 13 family members. In order to build a home back on the property - we have to get all 13 family members to agree. And that is not happening any time soon. In the meantime the cottage can sit there for two years or until the City/County changes the rules regarding FEMA trailer housing.

I see this situation often in Middletown and the black community. It has been a major obstacle to overcome in recovery. Why is this ? It is cultural - its a "family" home left by the parents to all the siblings either by design with a Will or as a result of the lack of a Will. This can shadow over into several generations. The family determines who will use the home. It is not always amicable - but it is a way of life. The estate rarely goes into a formal probate process - and it sits there in limbo. Not an issue - until a hurricane blows away the home. Then all the legal issues arise and it becomes a major problem to solve as there is multiple people required to sign all the paperwork.

Good day in the field today. The team is working on Lemuel Jones on Jeff Davis. They have two other work orders in hand. They have a lot of work to do this week.

Myself, I am just plain exhaustd. A few days off didnt fix all that ails me. But, I will be getting away to Washington in September. I need that break.

So, how was your day?

Tuesday August 14th

    Interesting Town Meeting last night with Congressman Taylor and the members of the Congress that he brought down. It was the setup of the meeting that I found more unique. In actual fact - only a half dozen well known local business entities had the chance to address the members of the visiting team from Congress. They were all pre-selected well in advance of the meeting. There was not one everyday citizen, Disaster Relief Organization, nor one Case Manager. The audience had absolutely zero opportunity for asking questions or addressing the visiting members. The room was packed - standing room only. (And I had someone sitting next to me who swore black and blue, loudly, that the Attorney General was there and that the FBI had been running up and down the streets all day interviewing everyone including her. She would not keep quiet while the speakers were speaking. I was thankful for the presence of the FBI type person with the ear plug in his ear standing 15 feet in front of our seats - I was beginning to worry as she was becoming more and more aggitated. She finally got up and left about the time Tish Williams started to speak and someone took over the seat thank goodness !)

There were honored pre-selected guests who were chosen to speak - and did so elequently. Not once did I find them addressing the needs of those who can not afford to buy insurance no matter what the cost (excepting the President of the Hancock Bank who addressed that issue briefly by referring to it as "running naked"). And while the agenda of the meeting may have been the impending insurance bill coming up thru the Congress - the audience never had a chance to tell all those members that the job is far from done here yet.

We still have thousands of homes to refurbish or rebuild and we are running out of money and volunteers. After bringing all those people here to the meeting - none of them had the opportunity to ask questions or relay their frustration at the process and ask for changes. No where in that meeting was the issue of poverty addressed. How could you have a meeting in this county with such a high poverty rate and not address that issue - or at least mention the word "poverty"? True - the word was not even mentioned. Affordable housing was mentioned at least "twice" - a cloaked reference to those with incomes that can not afford the current rental market or the ability to rebuild their home on the monies they received from Phase II. They qualified for Phase two as they did not have insurance. They were "running naked".

One of the speakers, who did give an excellent speach on the business district, said that we might not remember the speech - but to remember the message. What I remember from the evening is the term "running naked". And I am hurt by that.

And on to other matters

The chicken picture. I am sure you want to know - right? Well, I wrote an email to someone yesterday as I desperately needed assistance for a client who is having trouble getting his Marine Corp benefits - and he was honorably discharged. They found someone to take over where I had left off and they asked if they minded if that person became the "Pit Bull" on that case. I told them I didn't mind at all - I much more preferred Atilla the Hen anyway !

Just picked up another Elkview to build on Waveland Ave., for a little old lady who lost it all. She will be in next week to fill out the papers. We will be working on a couple of homes this week. Volunteers are short on supply this month due to the oppressive heat. But we do have one skilled crew in Waveland and they will be working on two homes.

The Board members worked hard here on grants yesterday. Garrett got the lawn mowed and it looks wonderful. Doc arrived with a load of Gator Aid - a desperate attempt to bribe me to give up the coke I drink by the gallon. Alright doc - I found the pile when I got home from the meeting and I promise I will give this a real hard attempt of correcting my one bad habit of addiction to Coke. I gave up wild men (hard to find a John Wayne here in the south anyway. He'd look pretty silly sauntering down Beach Blvd on his favourite pony), drinking (half a beer and I fall asleep), and dancing (hard to find a partner when your near nigh six foot talk anyway). So now I will give up Coke. Sigh.......

And what was really strange yesterday was someone from the building department emailing me and asking me to put Dwayne Bremmer from the Sea Coast Echo on my mailing list. That group is a voluntary email based group and anyone can join? Not sure what that was all about. Dwayne knows he has access to this office anytime as this operation is open and transparent. Click Here For Link

Else we are working on "grants" and "politics". A wonderful combination - and the reality for this relief effort.

And how is your week going?

Monday August 13th

Yesterday was a spirited service at the Little Zion Baptist Church. Click here for the story

And what a revelation reading the Red Cross Press release this morning (published on the Denver site but not the Missisisppi site) whereby they explained that they did not have a $20,000 grant. What they do have is the possibility of a " $20,000.00 Benefit" that they did not advertize. Semantics at its very best.

You can call for one of these "benefits" but you can only get on a waiting list. No apology for the prior poor advertising, the obstruction, or the short fall on funds that can not be distributed equitably. Click Here For Link

And on the Email based Volunteer Email Group I posted the link to the Red Cross Q & A on the "Benefit" that they are/were offering. Click Here For Link

And this office is closed this week while the Board of Directors and staff work on a "Grant Drive". We will be returning calls. Otherwise the office is closed until next Monday.

And thats our week piling up already. How is yours going?

Sunday August 12th

    And now its time to go home. Will have to leave Jasper, Winston, Mamma squirrel, the Pelicans, and the frolicking dolphins in the bay. Back to our limited conditioning in this oppressive heat and work. Yes, the vacation, as it was, is over. Time to head back into the real world. We have opted to close the office again this week and we are going to focus completely on grants. We will be changing the answering message again to reflect that. The Board members are coming in to assist getting as many grants ready as possible. This is a "grant drive" if you want to call it that.

Its been good to get out of the office and wind down in the real world - when you inundated with as many clients as we have its very hard to say "no" I need time for "me". But I am going to do more of that from here on in. I just cant solve all the problems of the world even if I do work 24 hours a day. The pile of issues never seems to get any smaller.

So, here I come office this morning. Church is at 2pm today - its the Pastors Aniversary and I have promised to bring "chicken" for the meal they are planning after church. How do I get myself into these pickles huh?

So, how was your weekend? I got a bird picture up on the home page in the slide show. The Pelicans were everywhere on the beach this weekend.

Saturday August 11th

    And thats what Momma squirrel in the oak tree thought of the days events as of 6am this morning. Well, I never. *G* !

[Update 8/11/07 Yes, a very interesting rendition. Sea Coast Echo

1. No other option he says? What about the lease contract from the State of Mississippi specifically earmarked for volunteer housing for McLaurin St., that had been on his desk since January. Oh, yes, thats right - he tore that down without bringing it before the Alderman publicly. Then stated it was going to be a police station.

2. Most of the Aldermen didnt know about the expenditures on the 90's building he says. Hmmm, wonder which Alderman did know?

3.There was an investigation by the Mississippi Attorney General he says. And, has that been verified? Was there? Is that the "only" investigation? Do we know? Where are the "reports"?

4. Where are the reports on the expenditures for the $38,000 dollars that were donated? Any left? Was the "City" paid back for the original expenditures. And the $2,500 dollar toilet expenditure that was originally hidden in the Martin Luther King Park Account that disapeared - was it "covered" also? Where is that toilet parked now?

5. And the Americorp contract? What did the City, exactly, sign up for with that contract? Did the Alderman know, exactly, what that was? If so why were we getting shut off notices on the electric bill a year ago July or so. Why was the Mayor telling myself and the manager out there that he was not responsible for that bill? What happened? Where did that money come from?

6. And where is the money from housing volunteers going once they pay the "bill" of $15.00 per day at Coast Salvage? Is it going to the City or a 501 (c) 3 of some sort? Who monitors the "money" for the Coast Salvage Building? Is it "City" money or does it all belong to the unknown 501 (c) 3? Who authorized that? At 100 volunteers per day @ $15.00 per volunteer - that could be as high as $1500.00 per day, $10,500 per week, and now expand it out to four weeks and its $40,000.00. Of course, there never has been a hundred volunteers there per day that has been reported to the Alderman.

7. He says "He said all of the materials which will be taken out of the building will be used to refurbish other city buildings". Is that with permission from the donor? How useful will the "used" materials be?

8. Longo and other city officials have repeatedly said that once the volunteers leave any and all equipment, repairs, or labor, which were paid for by the city would be removed. All? Does that mean your taking the front wall and door too? What will be left? The shell that they started with? Remember there was no front wall, no back wall (both huge garage doors were gone), and there was "nothing" inside. And the roof - they had to replace panels up there too. Are we taking the roof panels too? What about the metal exterior wall panels they had to replace? Are they taking the $15,00 in wiring also? What about the $15,000.00 approx in lumber from 84 Lumber? What about the labor - who is going to pay the City back for the contract labor.

8. What about the lease agreement between the City and the owner of the building? What does it say? Any good contract, handled by the City Attorney, would have dealt with all these matters. Did it?

The practical solution - let the owner just "pay" the City for all their expenses and leave the building the way it is now. That would make far more sense. Take the 2x4's back and the air condtioning unit indeed. Who is going to pay for that labor? Or are volunteers expected to do that too? Good grief.

Dwayne - your article left a lot of unanswered questions.

And thats how it is in Waveland. Lots of questions - and nary any straight answers.

Friday August 10th [Updated]

     Its been a wonderful Friday - its too hot, hot, hot to go to the beach. So I got my camera out when Tim wanted to go too town - and here you have it. A mix of pictures from Pass Christian to Waveland. Friday Pictures

Had a call, on my private line, from a local who said the City of Waveland volutnteer center up on 90, barely completed, is now up for sale for over $200,000. He said an article would be in the Sea Coast Echo. I have not had a chance to see if it is up online yet. That will be an interesting story.

Else, I am having a blast. Off to more sleep and relaxation - Tim says I am grounded from my camera the rest of the day. But, there is always Winston, the house pet, who is so adorable. Yes, I see a series of doggy pictures on the way here......

So how is your hot summer day going?

Friday August 10th

     Red Cross is blasted in a newswire release and ciriticised for obscure Katrina Fund - the very fund I released an article on yesterday. The article accuses the Red Cross of being "too secrative". The exact same issue we all have with the Hancock Long Term Recovery Committee. Their policies are far secretive, cloaking case managers with threatening legal paperwork in the form of disclosure agreements in fear that "facts" be reported to the residents in need such as available grants, policies, and access portholes. The policies flip flop all over the place dependent on who shows up to the Case Managers meetings and what politics are being acted upon in that given week including whose reputation they need to "dish" in order to make the point stick harder.

The original article I wrote can be found here: Article

Else, it was a great day off. That is my foot print in the sand at sunset in low tide. It would have been a picture of the birds but Tim would not slow down the car as we drove by flock, after flock, of them on the beach. It is so hot right now that the Albatros are flocking to the shore and just "sitting". I am going to sneak off to the beach this morning to try and get some shots. The heat wave is expected to last thru till Monday.

Progress is being made on Ms Helen's home while I "vacation". If you could call it a vacation. Yesterday I was at the warehouse with Donice from Angiie. At that time the school books were being delivered. Donice is going to need a mile of office equipment. If any of you have any - that operation in Angie, La, is in desperate need. They are moving the Clinic from the run down trailer to a building in town. I checked out the building and it is a palace compared to where they were before.

The team leader on Helen's home called to say they had 20 of the 34 trusses up on that home - we will continue working on that next week. Another group called to borrow the trailer. So, even closed we are still getting things done.

So, I am off to take another day "off". I hope you all are having a great week !